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Application of Semmelweis

It's important to tell the story of Semmelweis. He was pivotal in the scientific revolution associated with germ theory. He's also a bell-weather. The story of science isn't all progress and primroses. Stagnation and retrograde movements are possible.

We have to be strategic in moving a science forward -- it is not simply "survival of the fittest idea". Ideas which add to ecosystems and collaborate are most likely to succeed.

Emotional correctness is relevant even to the pursuit of hard science. You can be right and scream it from the rooftops -- with nothing to show for it.

Memetic theory has the ability to refactor neuroscience, psychology, social science, justice and public policy. It touches art, literature, history and science. It is unification theory for biology, computer science, soft sciences and the humanities. (An ambitious claim -- stay tuned for details).

It is not an easy path ahead. Many minds and hearts are heavily invested in the status quo. It is not simply the job of memeticists to refactor old data sets or collect the low-hanging fruit in this new field. It is our job to recognize the resistance to this theory gaining broad ground. Instead of waging "war against ignorance", recognize the concerns and vested interests which create reluctance.

The strategy and solutions will not appear nor implement overnight. We can't go-it-alone. We have to prioritize civility and self-care or succumb to the fate of Semmelweis, who experienced social sanction, isolation and irrelevance.

This is an immense task. Even more-so, considering how botched the evolutionary education of students in the States & the English-speaking world has been. We must take up the task of resolving this as well, for the discipline to move forward.